MEET OUR CHEFS!
ROBIN KORT
Foraging chef Robin Kort of Swallow Tail Culinary Adventures celebrates the wild bounty of the Pacific Northwest, weaving wild plants, mushrooms, and fresh seafood into her cooking. Based in Vancouver, she shares her passion through foraging and cooking classes, supper clubs, and pop-up events. Author of the Coastal Forager’s Cookbook, Chef Robin brings together her love of nature and cuisine, inspiring people to discover the connection between the wilderness and the plate.
BO LI
Chef Bo Li is the chef-owner of The Fish Man, a celebrated Chinese seafood restaurant in Vancouver, Canada. His cooking is rooted in Chinese culinary tradition, highlighting live seafood, pristine local ingredients, bold wok hei, and precise technique. Drawing inspiration from the Pacific Northwest, Chef Bo combines classic Chinese flavors with a modern, ingredient-driven approach. His philosophy is simple: respect the product, preserve its natural character, and let exceptional seafood speak for itself each day
CHANTHY YEN
Chanthy Yen is a Vancouver-based chef and co-owner of Touk and Mee Bar at Time Out Market in Oakridge Park, specializing in Cambodian cuisine. His culinary journey includes training under world-renowned chefs Ferran Adrià and Andoni Aduriz, opening Montreal’s Fieldstone, serving as personal chef to the Prime Minister, and winning Top Chef Canada Season 11. While Michelin Bib Gourmand recognition is an incredible honor, Chef Yen’s passion ultimately comes down to one simple thing: he loves feeding people.
BOBBY MILHERON
Bobby Milheron graduated from the Culinary Institute of Canada before building his career in New England, Nova Scotia, and Vancouver, working alongside acclaimed chefs Quang Dang, Alex Chen, and leading West Restaurant as Executive Chef. Since 2020, he has served as Executive Chef for Wentworth Hospitality Group, overseeing Homer St. Café and Bar, Tableau Bar Bistro, Maxine's Café & Bar, and Folietta. Bobby is passionate about seasonal, locally sourced ingredients and celebrating the Pacific Northwest's exceptional producers.
YOUSSEF JBARI
Born in Taroudant, Morocco, Youssef has built an impressive career rooted in passion and precision. Formerly the Executive Chef at Nobu Marrakech, Youssef is known for his mastery of Japanese cuisine. He believes in respecting tradition while embracing innovation, viewing food as a cultural bridge and a means of connection. His globally influenced menu brings this philosophy to life at The Lobby Lounge & RawBar.
HEAT LALIBERTE
Déne-Métis Chef Heat Laliberte brings over 20 years of culinary experience to Friendship Catering. A Red Seal Chef, his career includes the Fairmont Pacific Rim, the 2016 and 2018 Olympic Games, and founding One Arrow artisanal bacon. A graduate of VAFCS’s ACCESS Culinary Apprenticeship and Indigenous Entrepreneurship programs, Heat’s journey has come full circle. He is passionate about feeding community, celebrating traditional Indigenous foods, and growing Friendship Catering into one of Vancouver’s leading catering companies.
MASAYOSHI BABA
Chef Masayoshi Baba brings over two decades of experience to Vancouver’s Michelin-starred MASAYOSHI. Trained in Yamaguchi and Fukuoka, Japan, he later spent a decade under renowned chef Hidekazu Tojo in Vancouver. Guided by the principles of Washoku, Chef Masayoshi combines time-honoured Japanese traditions with innovative techniques, showcasing hyper-seasonal ingredients and drawing out their deepest umami through his distinctive approach to omakase.
DEZ LO
Born in Hong Kong and raised in Taiwan, Dez Lo built a successful finance career in New York before making a decisive pivot into the kitchen. With over two decades of culinary experience, she trained at the French Culinary Institute and honed her craft at acclaimed restaurants including La Grenouille, Oceana, and Locanda Verde. Since moving to Vancouver in 2016, Dez has become a celebrated figure in Canada’s culinary scene, gaining national attention as runner-up on Top Chef Canada Season 10. Since then, she has continued to build her culinary career through memorable congee pop-ups and chef collaborations across Canada.
ROGER MA
Born and raised in Vancouver, Roger Ma trained at the eponymous one-Michelin-star Restaurant Daniel in New York City before returning home in 2014 as Chef de Cuisine for Boulevard. Promoted to Executive Chef in 2018, Roger has earned top honours including a gold medal at the 2020 Canadian Culinary Championships. Under his leadership, Boulevard earned Best Seafood and Restaurant of the Year at the Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Awards, reached No. 9 on Canada’s Top 100 Restaurants in 2022, and received a Michelin recommendation in 2023. In 2026, Roger was named Chef of the Year by Vancouver Magazine. He credits his talented team, emphasizing collaboration and innovation.
NED BELL
Ned Bell is a celebrated Canadian chef, sustainable seafood advocate, keynote speaker, and educator. Born in the Okanagan and based in British Columbia, he uses his voice and culinary expertise to champion the health of lakes, oceans, rivers, and local farms through advocacy, education, and ambassador roles. Ned is co-owner of Hatch Hospitality, Culinary Director at Planetary Health, Buy BC Champion, and Board Member and Co-Chair of Sustainability at the Chefs’ Table Society. He is also Creative Advisor for Okanagan College’s Centre for Food, Wine and Tourism, opening in 2027, and works as a culinary and restaurant consultant through Hatch Hospitality.
MEET OUR EMCEE!
Lien Yeung is an award winning reporter and host for CBC News in Vancouver who is currently on parental leave. She has spent the last decade covering stories of Canadians from coast to coast on television, radio, and online. Her coverage of B.C.’s biggest stories from destructive wildfires to tumultuous elections to Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside decampments have reached millions of audiences ranging from CBC’s The National to Tik Tok, all while earning her Webster and RTDNA awards as well as nominations for the Canadian Screen Awards. A digital innovator, Lien began her journalism career as one of CBC’s pioneering social media editors. She continues to pave the way for the industry’s technological evolution, most recently as the morning host of CBC News BC, the network’s new 24/7 streaming channel.
As a journalist, woman of colour and mother of two, Lien brings her sense of empathy, curiosity and humour to those intersecting roles. She is a die hard foodie known for her love of discovering new restaurants and will never shy away from savouring a delicious bite on- or off camera. She holds a M.J. from UBC and B.A. in Criminology from SFU.